Illinois Residents Sue for Right to Begin Carrying Guns ASAP, Instead of Over 9 Months From Now

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Earlier this week Illinois made history when it became the last state in the United States to adopt a law allowing for the carry of firearms by law abiding citizens in public.

The bill was vetoed and gutted by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, but the legislator overrode the veto, making the bill into law.

Illinois was working on a deadline imposed by a federal court who found that the state’s complete ban on concealed carry was unconstitutional.

That’s all well and good, however, now the state is saying it could take almost a year to implement the required training and licensing requirements called for by the legislation.

That simple isn’t good enough for many residents of Illinois, who are concerned about their safety following a holiday weekend which saw over 70 people shot in Chicago alone.

According to CBS Chicago, some residents are now petitioning the courts to allow current holders of FOID Cards to be allowed to carry their guns under the law. Gun owners must obtain a FOID Card in the state of Illinois (which we consider a major infringement, but anyway), which includes undergoing a background check.

“The state’s proposed denial of Second Amendment rights for another 270 days is an unacceptable perpetuation of the state’s … infringement of Ms. Shepard’s and Illinois State Rifle Association members’ Second Amendment rights,” they said in a court filing Wednesday.

The plaintiffs went on to argue that “no threat to public safety” would occur if those possessing valid FOID cards were permitted immediately to carry their weapons under terms of the concealed-carry law because those applicants already have been screened.

“Furthermore, plaintiffs are not asking for an unfettered right to carry firearms in public; rather, they are requesting an injunction that would allow them to carry firearms in a manner consistent with the limits imposed by … the Firearms Concealed Carry Act,” the gun-rights advocates stated in their filing.

The state is currently estimating a minimum of 270 days until it can begin issuing permits. That is assuming nothing hangs up the process and that is only to begin the process. Long waits are expected as well over 300,000 residents are expected to apply for licenses once they are available.